The
Distinguished Service Award is given annually in recognition of
outstanding service to the CMS. The David Borwein Distinguished
Career Award is a new CMS award, recognizing the career of an
individual who has made an exceptional, broad, and continued
contribution to mathematics. The award is named for David Borwein, a
former President of the CMS and an eminent Canadian mathematician.

Dr.
Richard Kane has profoundly influenced the course of mathematics in
Canada through his long service to the profession, to his university,
and to the CMS. He is a distinguished researcher and a dedicated
teacher. His exemplary career, taken as a whole, is eminently
deserving of recognition through the receipt of the inaugural Borwein
award.

Dr.
Kane received his BA from the University of Toronto in 1967 and his
PhD from the University of Waterloo in 1973. He has been a member of
the Department of Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario
since 1980 and a full professor there since 1983, serving twice as
Chair of the Department. Prior to coming to Western he taught at the
University of Alberta, and held postdoctoral fellowships at Oxford
and MIT. He has held visiting positions at the Institute for Advanced
Study, (Princeton), the Centre de Recerca Matematica (Barcelona), the
Max-Planck-Institut für Mathematik (Bonn), the University of
Aberdeen, the University of California at San Diego, and the
University of Sydney.

His
research is in the area of algebraic topology, particularly the
homology theory of Lie groups, an area in which he has authored four
monographs and numerous journal articles. He has supervised four PhD
theses. He was a lead organizer of the 1996 Fields Institute thematic
program in homotopy theory, and has organized several other workshops
and conferences. His research contributions were recognized by his
election to the Royal Society of Canada in 1988. Other honours
include being named a Fields Institute Fellow in 2002 and receiving a
University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics Alumni Achievement
Medal in 2003.

Dr.
Kane has served the CMS in a number of roles, most notably as
President (1998-2000), but also as Vice President, and as chair of
the research, finance, and international affairs committees. He has
served his university, the Royal Society, the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Fields Institute in a
number of roles. But his most singular contribution has been his
leadership on the national stage, and in particular his contributions
to building a strong research infrastructure for Canadian
mathematics. He was the scientific convener of the 1996 NSERC Review
of Canadian mathematics, a review prompted by a prior negative
evaluation. In response, Dr. Kane led the efforts to examine the
strengths and weaknesses of mathematics in Canada. Following an
international evaluation this led to government recognition of the
excellence of Canadian research in mathematics and of its importance
to Canada, as well as to a concrete plan to build the infrastructure
needed to raise this research to new heights. Continuing these
efforts, Dr. Kane served as Chair of the Mathematics Steering
Committee for the NSERC reallocations exercises in 1997 and 2001, and
Chaired the NSERC Liaison Committee for the mathematical sciences in
2005. The direct impact of these efforts was secure and enhanced
funding for mathematical research in Canada. This benefited both
individual researchers, and also helped to build or enhance the
infrastructure that is enabling Canada to play an increasingly
significant role on the world stage - the three Canadian
mathematics research institutes, the Banff International Research
Station, the MITACS National Centre of Excellence (NCE), the NSERC
leadership support program, and other initiatives. The success of
these efforts stems from the collaborative and unified vision
established by the Canadian mathematical community, a vision made
possible in large part by the diplomacy, integrity, wisdom, and
leadership of Dr. Richard Kane.

Dr.
Kane will receive the 2006 David Borwein Distinguished Career Award
and the 2006 CMS Distinguished Service Award at the CMS Winter
Meeting in Toronto (December 2006).